UNIT NOVEL NOTICE FOR ALL GRADES
Now that we have our novels, remember to take the number of chapters and divide it by four weeks to set your pace for reading. See me if you are struggling with a section in your book and you need help :)
Desiderata
Desiderata
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
Homework 23/4/12
For grades 7, 8, and 9 you must copy out the Class Policies below BY HAND:
Grade 7 and 8 for tomorrow - Tuesday
Grade 9 for Wednesday
Reminder of Library Week at CES
For those of you participating the 17th and 18th, please be ready to present you skits at CES with the group you have chosen. Any questions ... please see me or Ms. Laura.
7A Aimee
7B Pamela
8A Carolina
8B Mauricio
9A Roxana
9B Rafael
CLASS POLICY REMINDER
1. Homework may be turned in one day late for half credit.
2. Marked assignments will be deducted 10% of the value per day including weekends. After ten days the assignment loses all value.
3. All late work, excused or not, must be turned in at first recess where you will wait for me to grade it and post it. This way we both know that the late assignment has been added for credit.
4. If you miss time, it is your responsibility to get notes from a classmate and to meet with me first recess to make sure that you are clear on what you need to make up. You have as many days to make up as you have excused days.
5. If you decide to do other subjects in my class without permission, you will receive an automatic detention.
6. If you come in late, you must have a late slip and come in quietly so as not to disrupt the flow of the lesson. Disruption will result in a lowered grade for participation.
7. It is your responsibility to check in with Engrade regularly to make sure everything looks in order. This way we can catch any discrepancies in a timely manner.
8. If your assignment receives an 'I' it means that you have not completed the assignment. You may complete it and turn it in the next day for a reduced mark.
Unit Novel Project 7, 8, & 9
This project is meant to be fun and easy! You are required to produce a slideshow (or some other sort of visual - see me) to present your Unit Novel to the class. I will be giving it a holistic mark based on ...
- time (2-5 minutes),
- creativity (music, pictures, art, etc)
- a concise overview of the plot / oral presentation
- perceived effort
Imagine you are an author trying to convince people to buy this book for their kids!
I will be giving due dates in class.
EXTRA HELP? SEE ME
A few of you are really struggling this semester. I would like to remind you that I am here for any extra help, questions, concerns every first recess (except when I have a staff meeting). Please don't be shy. I find that by working together, the marks usually come up!
Reminder regarding assignments
If you wish to re-do an assignment that you have done poorly on, as long as you approach me in a timely manner ("promptly; expeditiously; without inappropriate delay"), it may be possible to do so. Come see me, when? That's right! First recess :)
DramaFest Reminder
For those of you who have signed up for extra credit with the the DramaFest, you have just under 10 days to 'perfect' your play/skit! If you need help, see me. If you have questions, see Ms. Yanina. Break a leg!
Extra Credit for Monday 12th only
For those of you who take the time to check our class website, I have a reward for you ...
Make a St. Patrick's Day decoration for the classroom, and write a paragraph on the this holiday (it's origin, meaning and customs, etc) and I will give you 5 extra credit points to put where you want!
Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!
Do you like green eggs and ham?
I do not like them,
Sam-I-am.
I do not like
green eggs and ham.
Would you like them
Here or there?
I would not like them
here or there.
I would not like them
anywhere.
I do not like
green eggs and ham.
I do not like them,
Sam-I-am
THEME
When you are talking about literature, one of
the most important things you need to discuss
is the “central theme” of the text.
The theme refers to the central idea or
underlying message of the text. The theme is
rarely stated in the text – instead, the reader
must usually consider the plot, characters, and
setting to infer the theme.
What is theme in Literature?
Theme is often confused with other literary
elements such as plot or topic (or subject)
However, the theme of a piece of literature is a
message about people, life, and the world we
live in that the author wants the reader to
understand.The topic, on the other hand, is the main idea
or gist of the story.
For example, think about the topic and theme
of the classic story Cinderella.
If you are describing the TOPIC, you might say
it is a story about a poor girl who marries a
prince.
But if you are describing the THEME, it could
be described as an example of karma or good
things happening to good people.
The theme can also be described in terms of a
moral, or message, or lesson that the reader
can gain from the piece of literature.
The Tortoise and the Hare is a lesson
in perseverance.
The Gingerbread Man is
a lesson in arrogance
and the folly of pride.
Now you try it ...
Which of the following is the THEME of The
Midas Touch?
A. A king gains magic powers.
B. Magic can cause problems.
C. Greed never leads to
happiness.
Which of the following is the THEME of City
Mouse Country Mouse?
A. A country mouse visits his cousin in the city.
B. A mouse discovers he does not like the city.
C. Be grateful for what you
already have.
Which of the following is the THEME of Horton
Hears a Who?
A. An elephant struggles to save a community.
B. Elephants have very good hearing.
C. True friendship knows
no boundaries.
Cinquain Doc
CINQUAIN
Cinquain: an unrhymed poem consisting of five lines arranged in a special way.
Planet
Graceful, ringed
Spinning, whirling, twirling
Dances with neighbor Jupiter
Saturn
A cinquain is an example of shape poetry. Because of the exact number of words required for each line of this poem, a unique, symmetrical shape is created from interesting, descriptive words.
The word cinquain comes from the Latin root for “five.” Notice that the cinquain has five lines that follow this sequence:
Line A: One vague or general one-word subject or topic.
Line B: Two vivid adjectives that describe the topic.
Line C: Three interesting “-ing” action verbs that fit the topic.
Line D: Four-word phrase that captures feeling about the topic.
Line E: A very specific term that explains Line A.
Here’s another example:
Insect
Hidden, hungry
Preening, searching, stalking
Waits as if praying
Mantis
Brainstorming
Use the tips below to brainstorm on blank paper for different ideas. Then follow the directions to write your own beautiful cinquain. When possible, try to use poetic devices like alliteration, onomatopoeia, or personification. Because the poem has a limited number of words, choose each word carefully!
Word Pair Ideas (general/specific)
- bird/parrot (crow, canary, dove)
- fruit/apple (pear, banana, watermelon, peach, etc.)
- season/spring (summer/fall/autumn/winter)
- winter/January (spring/April, summer/July, autumn/October)
- candy/jawbreaker (Snickers, jelly beans, licorice)
- storm/tornado (hurricane, blizzard, squall)
- water/river (ocean, lake, stream, creek)
Line A: Name a general topic (see the suggestions above for some ideas).
Line E: Rename your topic, being more specific. (This will be the last line of your cinquain.)
Line B: Brainstorm 5-6 vivid, concrete adjectives to describe Topic E. Do not choose words that end in “-ing.”
Line C: Brainstorm 5-6 highly descriptive participles (verbs ending in ”-ing”) that fit Topic E.
Line D: Brainstorm several four-word phrases that capture some feeling about Topic E. Follow these tips to develop an effective phrase:
- Do not use any “to be” verbs or vague words.
- Do not repeat any words used elsewhere in the cinquain.
- If you can’t think of something, try a combination of adjective + noun + verb + adverb to achieve the most concrete phrase possible.
Writing Your Cinquain
- Pick out your most descriptive words from your brainstorming and put your cinquain together.
- When you are satisfied, recopy the poem onto clean notebook paper.
- Center your cinquain on the paper.
- Begin each line with a capital letter, and remember your commas. Do not use ending punctuation.
- When finished, double-check for concreteness!
Line A. _______
Line B. _______ , _______
Line C. _______ , _______ , _______
Line D. _______ _______ _______ _______
Line E. _______
UNIT NOVEL PROJECT in case you lost your handout!
UNIT THREE NOVEL
PROJECT
Grade 7, 8, & 9;
You are to create a graph on poster board which plots the main events in your novel's timeline according to the 'parts of a plot'. Please use a light-coloured poster board so your chart stands out clearly.
The graph must include details about the events and characters in each section (For example, 'exposition' will list setting and characters, 'climax' will state the key decision or moment). I will be looking for five or six sentences for each "plot event", and a total of 10 events minimum.
Title your poster with the name of your novel.
Decorate your graph with some pictures depicting things relevant to the story (you may print or draw original pieces).
The graph will need lots of space, so make sure you plan it out well
**YOU MUST WORK ON THIS PROJECT AS YOU READ. IT WILL BE EASIER TO KEEP A WORKING COPY AND ADD TO IT AS YOU READ, RATHER THAN TO TRY AND COVER EVERYTHING WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED YOUR NOVEL AND THE PROJECT IS DUE**
RUBRIC:
4 overall effort/neatness
20 minimum 10 events, stated clearly
4 climax stated clearly
4 exposition stated clearly
4 resolution stated clearly
4 artwork/extras
---------------------------------------------------
40 marks total
EXAMPLE:
Grade 8 and 9;
You are to write out twenty (20) new (to you) words from the book with their definitions and the sentences where they are used, for context (don't forget to tell which page the quotes are from).
Grade 9;
You are to list the literary devices which were used by the author and quote specific examples for each. You must find at least eight (8).
UNIT THREE NOVEL PROJECT INFO
UNIT THREE NOVEL
PROJECT
Grade 7, 8, & 9;
You are to create a graph on poster board which plots the main events in your novel's timeline according to the 'parts of a plot'. Please use a light-coloured poster board so your chart stands out clearly.
The graph must include details about the events and characters in each section (For example, 'exposition' will list setting and characters, 'climax' will state the key decision or moment). I will be looking for five or six sentences for each "plot event", and a total of 10 events minimum.
Title your poster with the name of your novel.
Decorate your graph with some pictures depicting things relevant to the story (you may print or draw original pieces).
The graph will need lots of space, so make sure you plan it out well
**YOU MUST WORK ON THIS PROJECT AS YOU READ. IT WILL BE EASIER TO KEEP A WORKING COPY AND ADD TO IT AS YOU READ, RATHER THAN TO TRY AND COVER EVERYTHING WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED YOUR NOVEL AND THE PROJECT IS DUE**
RUBRIC:
4 overall effort/neatness
20 minimum 10 events, stated clearly
4 climax stated clearly
4 exposition stated clearly
4 resolution stated clearly
4 artwork/extras
---------------------------------------------------
40 marks total
Grade 8 and 9;
You are to write out twenty (20) new (to you) words from the book with their definitions and the sentences where they are used, for context (don't forget to tell which page the quotes are from).
Grade 9;
You are to list the literary devices which were used by the author and quote specific examples for each. You must find at least eight (8).
EXTRA CREDIT PROJECT reminder!!
POETRY COFFEE HOUSE
Don't forget ...
Please let me know by Monday if you will be participating.
- choose a poem in English and have it approved by me.
- I will be looking for a visual presentation. For example, a slide show, video clip, acting the poem out, presenting as a duo/trio, costumes/props (not all at once!). You may use background music as long as you have a nice loud voice and it doesn't wash you out.
- remember to have a nice loud voice, gestures, eye contact.
- I prefer that you have the poem memorized. If you need to have a copy with you on stage, it must look nice. No scraps of paper, ripped and scrunched. Maybe on a nice piece of coloured paper.
- if you are not going to be wearing a costume, then you must dress in black that day
E-mail me with any questions :0)
THINKING ABOUT POETRY
Please check out the new file I have attached to the right
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MY AWESOME STUDENTS!!
Our next unit will be poetry, so here is one of my favourites ...
Twas the Night before Christmas Poem
C. Clement Moore
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!
"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.
His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"
BRING NOVEL ON WEDNESDAY!!
As we have no class on Thursday, I am asking that you bring your novel tomorrow - Wednesday
REMINDER; RESUBMITTING WORK
Please remember that, under many circumstances, I will give permission for you to re-do work that you feel you want to earn a higher mark on. Don't complain - be proactive! Please approach me with your work and request. Thanks!
Vocabulary
Test for all grades this week!
I hope you have enjoyed time off with 'Rina' !!
For all grades, I hope you have had a relaxing time with your families and that Rina was uneventful for you. Please come to class tomorrow focused and prepared to work hard so that we can catch up on the work we have missed. If we work hard in class then there won't be as much homework. See you soon!
REMINDER
For all classes .... class novel book reports are due next Thursday the 27th. Hopefully you have been working away on them these past few weeks and only have final corrections to make.
TEST; CLASS NOVEL
Don't forget that the test on our class novel is this week for all grades
Preposition worksheet
For those of you who have lost your worksheet, please see the attachment on the right
ENGRADE
Please be aware, I am reconfiguring my Engrade set-up. It should be set by the end of the week with all grades entered. Don't panic! All my grades are carefully logged in my Grading Book. Thank you
Important Note to Parents
If your child is struggling with written English, it will be possible (in instances of longer written exercises and projects) for them to turn in a working copy for me to help them with before handing in a final draft. The student will need to approach me during a recess period with their finished assignment and request a correction. It MUST be a recess period, as we will need to have the one-on-one time to go over it together. For shorter assignments it will be sufficient to go over it together orally; for longer assignments I will go over it before sitting down with the student.
UPCOMING TEST 7, 8 & 9
Please remember that we will be having a test next week in all grades. Refresh yourself on all class notes and re-read any stories that you are unclear on.If you are unsure on anything make sure to ask me. GOOD LUCK!!!!!
REMINDER OF HOMEWORK/ASSIGNMENT POLICY
Please take note of the following covered in all classes;
Homework and assignments are due on the due date given
For homework, I will accept it one day late, less 10%. After that I will not accept it.
For assignments and projects, I will accept it up to a week late at less 10% per day (keep in mind, I count the weekends as another day late as this is extra time you have had)
*exception to the above would be excused absences (pink slips). In this case you MUST come and see me about what work you need to do to catch up, otherwise your zero stays as a zero.
Thank you and keep up the great work!!
Student e-mails re; grades
Please, before you e-mail me about your grade, ask yourself ...
Did I study the highlighted vocabulary I was told would be on a quiz?
Did I take advantage of the bonus question offered after the quiz?
Did I hand in the assignments?
Did I read the questions(s) properly?
Did I answer the question(s) fully?
Did I see Ms.Rachel when asked to re; my assignment?
Did I re-submit my assignment when completed incorrectly?
Am I trying my best? or am I panicking now that my parents will see my marks?
I have extended assignment due dates by weeks (!), I have chased individual students to ask where assignments are, I have announced in class that you may approach me if you wish to have permission to rewrite assignments, I have stressed the importance of these assignments on your grade. I have been more than fair. Now progress reports are here and some students are shunning their responsibility for their own grades. I cannot give a mark for something not turned in. I cannot give a mark for an assignment which is not what was asked for. Many of you are putting in good effort and doing well, and it is wonderful to see. Keep up the good work!!
re; Absent Students
Please make sure you hand in whatever assignments you missed in the allotted number of days you have been given (equal to days missed). It is your responsibility to make sure you are clear on what was covered and what assignments were handed in. You can e-mail me or check on the class website. You should also double check with me that I have all I need from you.
THESAURUS
This is a great tool to use and will help you to get extra marks on assignments through the use of more interesting language. Grade nine students, especially, should definitely be using a thesaurus. Example;
It's been a great start to the year! I see students making great effort and producing some great thoughts and great pieces of writing. I am looking forward to reading more from you all.
It's been a fabulous start to the year! I see students making a lot of effort and producing some interesting thoughts and wonderful pieces of writing. I am looking forward to reading more from you all.
Name and Grade
As mentioned in class numerous times, everything that you hand in to me must have your first and last name, as well as your grade, written at the top. I have given fair warning and will now start to take off marks on papers and assignments which do not have this information.
Homework via E-mail
- No homework is to be e-mailed to me. Homework is to be printed out and handed in to me in class (if your printer is not working, please e-mail to a friend to print out). The only exception is if you are unwell and doing the work from home.
Journalism/Yearbook - Events Calendar
Yearbook / Journalism
Calendar of Events
2011-2012
September:
- Fri, 9/2 = Lock-in grade 7 ( Counts for social service !!!) Joe and Gisel
- Tues 9/6 = Honor Society Initiation Ceremony Laura and Rodrigo
- Fri, 9/16 = Mexican Independence Day Courtney & Iyari
- Wed, 9/21 = Dzilibilchaltun grade 9 Pau & Moguel
October:
- Fri, 10/7 = Renaissance Fair Sarah & ???
- Fri, 10/21 = UN Day – International Fair
- Oct 24-28 = Red Ribbon Week
- Fri, 10/28 = Halloween Kermesse
November:
- 11/5-9 = ASOMEX Golf/Tennis
- Fri, 11/18-19 = Cancun MUN
- 11/24 = Thanksgiving Luncheon
December:
- Fri, 12/9 = Holiday Posada
Syllabus
Dear Students and Parents,
Welcome back to school! Please read the following class guidelines and expectations.
For me, one of the most important values in the classroom is respect. I will respect each student, and will in turn ask for the same. Students should not ever be afraid to state their opinions or to ask questions in my class. All students are expected to be in the classroom before the bell rings. If a student is not in the classroom when the bell rings, then they will be marked as tardy (please see the student handbook for more information on the consequences of tardiness and unexcused absences). By the second week of school, students will need to have their text books with them in class at all times. Failure to do so could result in detentions, and if the problem persists, the student will not be admitted to class without their book.
While in class, students will be expected to:
- listen respectfully to each other and myself, and talk in turn
- listen to, and follow all directions
- turn off all electronic devices and place them out of sight for the duration of the class
- not use foul language, or any other type of language that could be offensive to anyone else in the room (in English or in Spanish)
- respect the classroom and it's contents
Students who violate one or more of these expectations will be given one warning and will then be subject to the discipline procedures listed in the school handbook. I hope that students will not need a warning concerning these basic expectations, but I trust that, if you do receive a warning, you take it very seriously. *Students writing on the desks or otherwise defacing or destroying any classroom property will be given a detention notice immediately.
For my class students will be expected to:
- arrive on time and with all needed supplies
- use a heading on every paper with first and last name, date, my name, and assignment title
- bring your selected book report book to class each day
- bring pens and pencils to class everyday
- keep the class clean and tidy and free of food (only water is acceptable)
Additional supplies required:
- Binder with dividers
- Plastic sleeves for handouts (or a hole punch)
- White lined paper (with 3 holes)
Grading:
My grading breakdown per semester is as follows;
40% - class work, homework, and quizzes
50% - tests and projects
10% - participation
The overall mark will then be used as 80% of the final semester mark, and the semester exam will be worth 20%
Notebooks will be checked periodically during class to ensure neatness and organization. This will count towards the class/home work gradeportion.
If you are absent when assignments are due and you have a pink slip, you have as many days to make up the work as you have been excused for your absence. It is your job to check on the class website or with me concerning what you have missed. If you have missed a quiz or test be prepared to make it up before or after school, or during lunch.
I post all homework assignments on http://msracheliascancun.shutterfly.com/ I will also use the site to post links of interest and documents that you will need to print on your own. Please check this site often.
Attendance
As with any class, the more you miss the less you will learn and the lower your grade will be. Please make an effort to be here every day on time and with your required materials.
Tests and Quizzes
There will be pop quizzes, but I will always give you a fair warning before we have a major test or project due. We will usually have some sort of review or study day before a major exam.
Hall Passes
Students are to leave the classroom for no reason except an emergency. Forgetting your book or your homework does not qualify as an emergency. If you forget your homework it will be marked as late (homework will be deducted 10% per day late).
Participation
You know that participation is worth 10% of your grade. This means that if you make an effort in class, you can greatly improve your overall mark. Easy!
Cheating and Plagiarism:
Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated. The first offense will result in a failure of the assignment/test, notification of your parents and a discussion of further consequences. A second offense will result in more severe consequences.
Thank you for reviewing this letter. Should you have any questions concerning my classroom policies please e-mail me at rachelandmateo@yahoo.com Please bring this letter back to me, signed, for Thursday.
Welcome back!
Today was a busy day for us all, and I'm sure we were all glad to get home tonight. I hope it all went smoothly for you and you are feeling ready for the rest of the week.
It's going to be a great year!
I have a true passion for the English Language and for English Literature. My degree is in English Literature and Family Psychology. I am also qualified as an ESL teacher, and am a Graduate Gemmologist and Appraiser. It is my pleasure to be teaching you!